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On the Apparel of Women

Tertullian

Book 2 · Chapter 3

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter III.—Grant that Beauty Be Not to Be Feared: Still It is to Be Shunned as Unnecessary and Vainglorious.

Let it now be granted that excellence of form be not

‹ Book 2 · Chapter 2 Book 2 · Chapter 4 ›

to

be

feared

,

as

neither

troublesome

to

its

possessors

,

nor

destructive

to

its

desirers

,

nor

perilous

to

its

compartners

;

let

it

be

thought

(

to

be

)

not

exposed

to

temptations

,

not

surrounded

by

stumbling

-

blocks

:

it

is

enough

that

to

angels

of

God

it

is

not

necessary

.

For

,

where

modesty

is

,

there

beauty

is

idle

;

because

properly

the

use

and

fruit

of

beauty

is

voluptuousness

,

unless

any

one

thinks

that

there

is

some

other

harvest

for

bodily

grace

to

reap

.

Are

women

who

think

that

,

in

furnishing

to

their

neighbour

that

which

is

demanded

of

beauty

,

they

are

furnishing

it

to

themselves

also

,

to

augment

that

(

beauty

)

when

(

naturally

)

given

them

,

and

to

strive

after

it

when

not

(

thus

)

given

?

Some

one

will

say

,

“

Why

,

then

,

if

voluptuousness

be

shut

out

and

chastity

let

in

,

may

(

we

)

not

enjoy

the

praise

of

beauty

alone

,

and

glory

in

a

bodily

good

?

”

Let

whoever

finds

pleasure

in

“

glorying

in

the

flesh

”

see

to

that

.

To

us

in

the

first

place

,

there

is

no

studious

pursuit

of

“

glory

,

”

because

“

glory

”

is

the

essence

of

exaltation

.

Now

exaltation

is

incongruous

for

professors

of

humility

according

to

God’s

precepts

.

Secondly

,

if

all

“

glory

”

is

“

vain

”

and

insensate

,

how

much

more

(

glory

)

in

the

flesh

,

especially

to

us

?

For

even

if

“

glorying

”

is

(

allowable

)

,

we

ought

to

wish

our

sphere

of

pleasing

to

lie

in

the

graces

of

the

Spirit

,

not

in

the

flesh

;

because

we

are

“

suitors

”

of

things

spiritual

.

In

those

things

wherein

our

sphere

of

labour

lies

,

let

our

joy

lie

.

From

the

sources

whence

we

hope

for

salvation

,

let

us

cull

our

“

glory

.

”

Plainly

,

a

Christian

will

“

glory

”

even

in

the

flesh

;

but

(

it

will

be

)

when

it

has

endured

laceration

for

Christ’s

sake

,

in

order

that

the

spirit

may

be

crowned

in

it

,

not

in

order

that

it

may

draw

the

eyes

and

sighs

of

youths

after

it

.

Thus

(

a

thing

)

which

,

from

whatever

point

you

look

at

it

,

is

in

your

case

superfluous

,

you

may

justly

disdain

if

you

have

it

not

,

and

neglect

if

you

have

.

Let

a

holy

woman

,

if

naturally

beautiful

,

give

none

so

great

occasion

(

for

carnal

appetite

)

.

Certainly

,

if

even

she

be

so

,

she

ought

not

to

set

off

(

her

beauty

)

,

but

even

to

obscure

it

.

Notes

1
Conjunctis.
2
Angelis Dei. Comp. the opening sentence of the book.
3
Comp. ad Ux., b. i. c. iv.
4
See Gal. vi. 13 and 1 Cor. iii. 21; v. 6.
5
Stuporata.
6
Bonis.
7
Sectatores.
8
Comp. 2 Cor. xi. 18; xii. 10; Phil. iii. 3, 4.
9
Non adjuvare, sed etiam impedire, debet.